The present invention relates to a connector structure for connecting terminals of the equipment, and specifically to a connector structure preferable for the environment in which vibration occurs in connecting between the power converter apparatus and the electric motor used in the vehicle.
In general, electric vehicles and hybrid electric vehicles have a power converter apparatus and an electric motor between the battery and the wheels in order to drive the wheels by using the electric power stored in the battery. The electric power stored in the battery is converted by the power converter apparatus such as inverter apparatus and supplied to the electric motor, and the rotational motion of the electric motor is transmitted through the differential gear to the wheels and finally provided for driving the wheels.
In the conventional configuration, the power converter apparatus and the electric motor are installed separately at the different places in the vehicle, and the terminals of the power converter apparatus and the terminals of the electric motor are connected by the electric cables. On the other hand, some patents, for example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Number 5-219607 (1993) and Japanese Laid-Open Patent Number 2004-312853, disclose such a structure that the power converter apparatus and the electric motor are integrated into a single unit together for downsizing and cost-reduction of the electro-mechanical driving system from the battery to the wheels.